Yard ring-a-peg game

ABSTRACT

A ring toss game including a pair of first and second turf embedded pegs arranged at a predetermined spaced apart distance. A plurality of rings, each having a given inner diameter and outer diameter, are provided. Each of the rings exhibit a desired degree of flexibility and are tossed by any number of players and according to a scoring scheme established by the rings encircling a given peg and landing within a given proximity of the peg.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 60/627,438 filed Nov. 11, 2004 for a YardRing-A-Peg Game.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to yard toss entertainment games. Morespecifically, the present invention teaches a ring toss game includingthe provision of a plurality of rubberized rings, each being of selecteddiameter, utilized in cooperation with a pair of ground supportedstakes, and in order to determine a point award structure for landingrings either about or in proximity to the stakes.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

The prior art is well documented with examples of tossing gameapparatuses. The purpose of such games is to provide both anentertaining and skill developing outlet for both children and adults.

A first example of the prior art is set forth in U.S. Pat. No.4,198,048, issued to Rathert, and which teaches a ring toss gameincluding a plurality of upwardly extending pegs mounted upon a base.The base, in turn, is supported by a standard embedded into a groundlocation. At least one peg is angled toward the center of the base,thereby increasing the difficulty of tossing a ring over the angled peg.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,204,682, issued to Brown, teaches a method and apparatusfor an outdoor tossing game including a plurality of groups ofdistinguishably identified markers which are tossed from behind athrowing line at a receptacle in an attempt to put the marker in thereceptacle. The receptacle is recessed into the ground or other playingsurface and is approximately thirty feet to fifty feet away from thethrowing line, which may in turn be another receptacle. A protectivecover may be provided to enclose the receptacle when not in use to avoidany accidents or the accumulation of contamination therein. The markermay be shaped as a disc or washer and may be sufficiently heavy to besubstantially unaffected by all but the strongest wind during play.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,373, issued to Houle et al., teaches a flying ringgame in which is provided a peg defining a central post to the uppersection of which is anchored two bent rods. The post is driven into theground, the rods each further defining two upturned legs or prongs, thefour prongs surrounding the central post. A quoit is tossed over theprongs, so as to engage at least one prong, or the central post, or oneprong concurrently with the post.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,266, issued to Morin et al., teaches a ring tossgame that includes a goal unit welded from steel and toward whichcircular rings are tossed by players. The goal unit includes five, scorenumbered, vertical spikes around which the rings are attempted to beringed, the spikes being a distance apart so that two of them canpossibly get encircled by a single ring.

U.S. Patent Application Publication 2002/0033575, to Rader, teaches alawn game apparatus that consists of three steel rings rolled one at atime along a straight course on the ground and towards three pegspositioned in a triangular pattern and staked into the ground. Pointsare earned by encircling one or more pegs with each steel ring, witheach peg being worth one point. The game is complete when one or moreplayers obtain eleven or more points at the conclusion of a completeround of turns.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,251, issued to Trifonov, teaches a beach gameincluding a set of stakes and a boundary marking devices. The stakeseach have a head portion, an elongate body, and a lower portionincluding a tapered bottom end zone structured to be driven into thesand so that the stakes are held in an upright position. Each player'sboundary marking device is placed upon the sand and formed into a closedconfiguration so as to surround an interior area defining the player'sterritory or camp.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,337, issued to Cunningham, teaches a tossing gamesystem that includes a target support structure including a baseassembly having four detachable stabilizing legs and a vertical supporthaving three horizontally oriented standoffs. First, second and thirdL-shaped ring toss targets are each securable to the end of one of thethree horizontally oriented standoffs. Four securing stakes each areinsertable through a stake aperture formed through the end of each ofthe four detachable stabilizing legs. At least one tossing ring has acentral opening of sufficient size to allow passage therethrough of thetarget end of each of the L-shaped ring toss targets. First, second andthird ball targets are each securable to the end of one of the threehorizontally oriented standoffs, each first, second and third balltarget includes a connecting structure having a ball target connectingend that is connectable to one of the three horizontally orientedstandoffs, a net support ring attached to the connecting structure, andan open bottom net extending around the circumference of the net supportring. At least one tossing ball is sized to pass through each of the netsupport rings of the first, second and third ball targets.

Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,330, issued to Lema, teaches a verticalpost extending between a bottom flat circular disc serving as a base anda top flat circular disc. Short vertical stubs extend upward from thebottom disc spaced from the post. Hooks extend outward from the topdisc. Rings are tossed by the players to engage the stubs or hooks.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

A ring toss game including a pair of first and second turf embedded pegsarranged at a predetermined spaced apart distance. A plurality of rings,each having a given inner diameter and outer diameter, are provided.Each of the rings exhibit a desired degree of flexibility and are tossedby any number of players and according to a scoring scheme establishedby the rings encircling a given peg and landing within a given proximityof the peg.

The game is commenced by any combination of two, four or six playersscoring points by tossing the rings in an attempt to either encircle theopposite positioned peg or to land as close to that peg as is possible.In a preferred scoring application, a winner is declared when aplayer/players reach a certain total of points associated with a desiredgame play format.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made to the attached drawings, when read incombination with the following detailed description, wherein likereference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, andin which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of the ring toss game according toa preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of a selected ring and illustrating in phantomits elastic properties;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken through line 2-2 of FIG. 2 andillustrating the elasticized composition of the ring in cutaway;

FIG. 4 is an illustration of a reclosable carrying tote capable ofholding the pegs and rings associated with first and second variants ofthe present invention;

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a pedestal supported peg according to afurther preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a succeeding illustration of another variant of upwardlysupported peg about which is positioned a selected carpet or rubberizedmat of a given diameter and which functions as a ricochet and forcedampening surface in association with the rings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, a ring toss game is illustrated at 10 according toa preferred embodiment of the present invention. As will be hereinafterdiscussed, the ring toss game as will be subsequently described iscapable of modification or alteration within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Referencing again FIG. 1, a plurality of rings, such as represented at12, are tossed between a pair of turf-embedded pegs 14 and 16. In apreferred embodiment, the rings each exhibit an outer diameter of 8″ andan inner diameter of 6.725″. The construction of the rings, as furtherreferenced by FIGS. 2 and 3, is preferably of a flexible rubberizedmaterial, the purpose behind which is to facilitate a “wobble” orsimilar eccentricity into the ring during its flight (see as referencedin FIG. 1) and in order to provide a greater challenge for encircling orlanding near the desired peg 14. As will be further described, thepresent invention contemplates using either a plurality of rings of onecolor or sub-pluralities of differently colored rings.

As shown in FIG. 2, the selected ring 12 can be flexibly bent or folded,such as to a shape 12′. As further referenced in the cutaway of FIG. 3,the rubberized material can be interiorly hollowed, as shown, oralternatively solid to facilitate given weighting and flight travelcharacteristics. It is also envisioned that the cross-sectionalconfiguration of each of the rings can be varied from that shown, andsuch as to triangular, square, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, etc.,polygonal shapes, each having a specified number of sides ranging toinfinity (and which in fact defines the circular cross sectionillustrated).

Each of the pegs 14 and 16 may exhibit an elongated configuration,typically 14″, and of which 8″ extends above ground when embedded infirst and second turf locations. As also shown in FIG. 4, each of thestakes 14 and 16 includes an elongated shaft portion (illustrated asrectangular but also understood to include round or other polygonalcross-sectional shapes) and bottommost pointed and turf engagingportions, see at 18 and 20.

As also shown in FIG. 4, a tote bag 22 is illustrated (such as which maybe constructed of a canvas or plasticized material) and which isutilized to carry the individual rings 12 (typically five or sixdepending upon the variant of game play) and pegs 14 and 16. The bag 22may include features such as handles 24 and 26 which can cover anopening of the bag and which includes a fastener 28 for reclosing thebag. It is also understood that pockets can be formed within either orboth the exterior 30 and interior 32 facing sides of the bag 22, and forreceiving the rings 12 and additional reconfigured pockets 34 forreceiving the rings 14 and 16.

In a preferred game set-up application, the pegs 14 and 16 are placedthirty (30) feet apart, and a foul line, see at 36 and 38, is providedin a crosswise direction extending through a given peg and in accordancewith the positioning of each of the pegs. During play, each participantmust not cross a given peg. The game is commenced by any combination oftwo, four or six players scoring points by tossing the six rings 12 inan attempt to either encircle the opposite positioned peg or to land asclose to that peg as is possible.

In a preferred scoring application, a winner is declared when aplayer/players reach a total of 21 points. In a three-person team, thefirst to reach 31 points is declared the winner. Points in a preferredapplication are awarded as follows: three (3) points for scoring aringer about a given peg and one (1) point for landing a ring 12 within8″ (as measured from its outer diameter) from a peg 14 or 16.

In a further embodiment, only five rings are used with each kit. Ofthese, four rings will be of one color with the remaining ring being ofa different color. The scoring in this embodiment contemplates awardingthree (3) points for a ringer about a given peg, with the exception ofthe single colored ring which is four (4) points. In addition, two (2)points are awarded if the ring is in contact with a given peg, and one(1) point for landing a ring within 8″ of a peg. The points via a ringerby the single colored ring can either be added to the thrower's score orsubtracted from the opponent's score.

Referring now to FIG. 5, an illustration is shown at 40 of a pedestalsupported peg according to a further preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. The peg includes a pedestal base 42 and an upwardly extendingand interiorly hollowed sleeve portion 44 within which is seated aninserted peg, see at 46.

Referring finally to FIG. 6, a further succeeding illustration is shownat 48 of another variant of upwardly supported peg 48 about which ispositioned a selected carpet or rubberized mat 50 of a given diameter,such as for example 1½ feet in one application, and which functions as aricochet and force dampening surface in association with the tossedrings 12. The size and choice of materials in regards to the mat/carpetcan be drawn from a wide selection and in order to adjust theperformance characteristics of the associated rubberized or othermaterial constructed rings.

Having described our invention, other and additional preferredembodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which itpertains and without deviating from the scope of the appended claims. Inparticular, the ring toss game can be adapted for both indoor andoutdoor use, among other possible play variants.

1. A ring toss game, comprising: a pair of first and second upwardlyextending pegs arranged at a predetermined spaced apart distance; and aplurality of rings, each having a given inner diameter and outerdiameter, each of said rings exhibiting a desired degree of flexibility;said rings being tossed by any number of players and according to ascoring scheme established by rings encircling a given peg and landingwithin a given proximity of said peg.
 2. The ring toss game as describedin claim 1, each of said pegs having a specified shape and size andexhibiting an overall length of 14″, of which 8″ projects above a turfsurface.
 3. The ring toss game as described in claim 1, each of saidrings exhibiting a specified shape and size and possessing an 8″ outerdiameter and a 6.725″ inner diameter.
 4. The ring toss game as describedin claim 1, further comprising a carrying case for holding said pegs andrings.
 5. The ring toss game as described in claim 4, said carrying caseexhibiting a number of side disposed pockets for holding said pegs andrings.
 6. The ring toss game as described in claim 1, further comprisinga plurality of five rings, four of said rings being of a first color, afifth of said rings being of a second color.
 7. The ring toss game asdescribed in claim 6, further comprising a point total corresponding tosaid fifth ring being added to a first player's score or, alternatively,subtracted from a second player's score.
 8. The ring toss game asdescribed in claim 1, said pegs each further comprising a pedestalsupport.
 9. The ring toss game as described in claim 1, furthercomprising a mat placed upon a level surface and in surrounding fashionrelative to each of said pegs.
 10. The ring toss game as described inclaim 9, said mat surface being of a selected diameter and furthercomprising at least one of a carpet or rubberized material.
 11. A ringtoss game, comprising: a pair of first and second upwardly extendingpegs arranged at a predetermined spaced apart distance; and a pluralityof rings, each having a given inner diameter and outer diameter, each ofsaid rings exhibiting a desired degree of flexibility, a plurality ofsaid rings exhibiting a first color associated with a first point value,a further selected one of said rings exhibiting a second colorassociated with a second point value; a carrying case for holding saidpegs and rings; and said rings being tossed by any number of players andaccording to a scoring scheme established by rings encircling a givenpeg and landing within a given proximity of said peg.
 12. A ring tossgame, comprising: a pair of first and second upwardly extending pegsarranged at a predetermined spaced apart distance, said pegs eachfurther comprising a pedestal support; a mat placed upon a level surfaceand in surrounding fashion relative to each of said pegs, said matsurface being of a selected diameter and further comprising at least oneof a carpet or rubberized material; and a plurality of rings, eachhaving a given inner diameter and outer diameter, each of said ringsexhibiting a desired degree of flexibility; said rings being tossed byany number of players and according to a scoring scheme established byrings encircling a given peg and landing within a given proximity ofsaid peg.